Hollow Knight’s Lore Takes a Strange Turn with New Update After 9 Years

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Having spent countless hours in both Hollow Knight and Silksong, I can only share my own interpretation of Hallownest’s lore. The mythology is quite intricate, and a recent update has made it even more enigmatic.

Hollow Knight YouTuber “mossbag” highlighted some changes, sharing a screenshot of a Lightseed description. The text now reads, “Strange air has been seeping down from above since long ago,” a shift from the previous version that stated, “Strange air has been seeping down from above for years.” Moss noted that all references to “year” or “years” have been removed throughout the game, providing a changelog that showcases similar updates.

This new Hollow Knight update eliminates any mention of “years.” After nine years since its launch, the lore is becoming even more ambiguous. While this change may seem minor, it adds an intriguing layer of mystery, suggesting that time is perceived differently in this peculiar, squishy universe. Although this update pertains to a nearly decade-old game, it aligns with a stylistic choice that has been evolving for some time.

The Hollow Knight wiki features a section on time, specifically addressing “hours,” and advises against certain terminology. It emphasizes that “no specific time is ever perceptible,” reinforcing the notion of a world in stasis, while allowing phrases like “an age ago.”

The real question is why it took nearly ten years to implement this aspect of Team Cherry’s style guide for the original Metroidvania. Perhaps they were too busy developing Silksong and addressing other minor issues, causing this to slip down the priority list. We’ve all been there. The next question is how developers can further complicate the lore. I’m sure they’ll find a way, and for some reason, I’ll end up appreciating these games even more.

The Hollow Knight: Silksong community has been rallying for four weeks, cheering on a player tackling the Savage Beastfly with outrageous custom rules, including the notorious Groal runback on every attempt.